Extremely painful Charlie Horses

[gr8scott527]

I am an otherwise healthy 23 year old male.Every so often, during my sleep or in the morning when I wake up, I stretch my legs a bit too far. The muscle in one or both of my calves will contract violently for about 30 seconds. Normally I have a fairly high tolerance for pain. These episodes leave me writhing in pain and sweaty afterwards. I have seen people get charlie horses in sports, but it doesn't usually too seem to cause people the same amount of pain. Also, charlie horses usually follow strenuous exercise, and my muscle contractions always occur during or immediately following sleep. For the most part Ive accepted that there is probably nothing to be done about it and that this is something I'll just have to deal with from time to time, but I would like to know how common this is.

[caregiver222]

The primary cause of so-called "Charlie-Horses" are simple calcium deficiency. For calcium to be properly utilized you have to have ample D3, as well as B-12.

Try drinking a couple of glasses of milk.

They can be relieved by quinine sulfate, which was available over-the-counter for a hundred years until recently banned by the FDA. because people with heart conditions were popping them like candy. They are still on the shelves in some health food stores.

[bigsissie]

Try a good multivitamin that has potassium, magnesium and B-12. Usually leg cramps are from lack of vitamins. You are burning more of everything when you exercise not just calories. I would try taking them for a couple of weeks at least and see if it works for you. I have back problems and when I was in PT had leg cramps and this is what my therapist told me. Hope this was helpful.

Sissie